Suspended Olympic badminton players appeal

SEOUL (AFP) –

A picture taken on July 31, 2012 shows Kim Ha Na (L) and Jung Kyung-Eun of South Korea at the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on July 31, 2012. Four South Korean badminton players suspended for trying to throw matches at the London Olympics have appealed their penalties, the Badminton Korea Association said Tuesday.

Four South Korean badminton players who were suspended for trying to throw matches at the London Olympics have appealed their penalties, the Badminton Korea Association said Tuesday.

The body said the players — Jung Kyung-Eun, Kim Ha-Na, Ha Jung-Eun and Kim Min-Jung — have contested a two-year suspension proposed by the association’s disciplinary committee.

The committee plans to make its final decision on Wednesday.

Coach Sung Han-Kook and assistant coach Kim Moon-Soo have received lifetime bans from coaching. Kim appealed the ban while Sung accepted his penalty.

Eight women’s doubles players from South Korea, Indonesia and China were disqualified for trying to lose matches, in dismal scenes that have prompted an investigation into players and coaches for other possible breaches.

The scandal prompted Chinese badminton star Yu Yang to quit the sport.

Badminton World Federation president Kang Young-Joong has brushed off suggestions the scandal may have put its Olympic future at risk.